


Cycle Zero

by zanthe



Series: Mechanics [2]
Category: Xenoblade Chronicles
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen, Mentions of Shulk; Otharon; and Melia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-25
Updated: 2020-07-25
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:27:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 738
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25515007
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zanthe/pseuds/zanthe
Summary: Revenge was a shroud that clouded reason and ate away at the heart.
Series: Mechanics [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1767211
Comments: 1
Kudos: 9





	Cycle Zero

**Author's Note:**

> Small Introspection taking place between Mechonis Core and the world being recreated. Technically part 1 of my AU, but I'm still planning on expanding on it more.

Egil would never, for an instant, pretend he was welcome here in Colony 6. It was a simple matter of circumstance, he still held control over the Faces, over most if not all Mechon, and right now the peoples of Bionis needed every ounce of help they could get. Reluctantly, they accepted his help, but he was not allowed to go anywhere without an escort, and he dared not step foot within Junks to face his father. He didn’t do it when the ship escaped Mechonis, he wouldn’t do it now. 

He acted like he was above it all, the scornful glares he received, the verbal abuse he paid no attention to, it was well deserved, after all, but he wasn’t here to feel  _ sorry. _ Egil was no longer a man of petty words, action had shaped him, and action would reshape him. After all of this was over, he would face them, bear their words so  _ they _ could feel better, but he would not be held a prisoner. 

Accountable, yes, of course, he was more than ready to serve a life repairing the damage he’d caused, work towards providing aid, care, his heart wouldn’t allow more harm be done to these people, by his hands or those of another. But a  _ prisoner _ as he’d heard so many discuss? He saw no point in that, and the old Homs he’d met with seemed to agree. 

_ “A lot of people here want revenge against you, myself included, so best you watch yourself. Some of them want you locked up, or executed, consider yourself lucky that they’ve listened to Shulk’s logic. Foolish as that boy is, he’s got a point, killing you or confining you would solve nothing when he’s trying to break this damned cycle of violence. But I promise you this, step out of line once, and you’re dead.” _

Death was a mercy he didn’t deserve, imprisonment a senseless punishment. Still, he glanced at Shulk, who flashed him a weak smile before continuing his chat with his friends, Egil was only half listening, hung up on the fact he of all people had vouched for him.

_“I wanted to kill him,”_ _Shulk admitted, “But what would that solve? I had my heart set on revenge, I thought my enemies were heartless monsters, and then I learned more about Mechonis, more about their histories, how we once had lived in peace together. I learnt my enemies were people too, misguided and set on revenge like I was, and I realized any death by my hands would be pointless if I wanted peace. I won’t sink to pointless slaughter, I want to do better, and be better,” the boy set his gaze on Egil, who raised his chin to meet him, “than those before me.”_

Truthfully, Egil felt those words should have stung, but maybe that wasn’t the point of them, maybe it was a call for him to change, too, to be better than he was in the past. He had already agreed, of course. At the core of the Mechonis, they promised each other they would coexist peacefully, like they had decades ago. A promise Egil would dedicate his life to. 

For a short time, he’d decided to tag along with Shulk’s little group, out of place as he felt he journeyed with them, learned more of Bionis than he’d ever had before. He saw the ruined city of Alcamoth, and felt nothing but anger that Zanza had once again laid waste to an entire population. Hypocritical, yes, he’d done the same to the Homs over the years, turned them into monsters to attack their own, just like Zanza. The realization he had become what he meant to destroy sickened him like nothing else. 

A long talk with Melia ended in another promise, whatever he could do to help her and her people recover, he would do it. He wondered, too, if he hadn’t felt so alone, so  _ betrayed _ when the Bionis attacked, would any of them be standing here now, struggling for survival? Could they have rebuilt long ago? 

The more he pondered, the more his resolve to atone grew, for as long as he drew breath he had to make amends. And as the world was reborn he made one final promise, to himself, that no matter how much it hurt, or how much he would struggle, he would live, and grow to be someone better. 


End file.
